Saviour was continually among them, crying, and calling at their gates, and at the entering in of their cities; yet they generally disregarded him: whereas, in this case, he only took an occasional journey, and that in secret; (for when he entered into an house, he would have no man know it ;) yet here this poor woman found him out, and presented her supplication. How true is that saying of our Lord, The last shall be first, and the first last; and how often do we still see persons of inferior advantages enter into the kingdom of God before others who have possessed the greatest abundance of means.

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But what treatment did she receive from our Saviour, on this her first application? He answered her not a word. Who would have expected this? Does it accord with his usual conduct? In what instance had he been known to refuse such an application? It was very mysterious, and very discouraging. Is his ear heavy, then, that it cannot hear? or his arm shortened, that it cannot save? Answered her not a word! Who could understand this as any other than a repulse? If the faith of the petitioner had been weak, she might have concluded that he would not answer her, because he could not help her. If her heart had been cold, she might have gone away, as many do after having said their prayers, contented without the blessing. If her spirit had been haughty, she must and would have resented it, and have asked no more. In short, had she been any thing but what she was, great in faith in love, and in humility, she would have turned away. And here we may see the wisdom of our Saviour's conduct: had he immediately granted her request, we had seen little or nothing of the exercise of these graces. But let us proceed.

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Here is a second application made on her behalf; and this is by the disciples: they came and besought him to send her away. hope they meant that he would grant her petition.⠀⠀ One might have expected something considerable from the intercession of the twelve apostles. He had consented to go and heal the centurion's servant, at the request of the Jewish elders and surely his own disciples must have an interest with him, equal to theirs. If the poor woman knew of their becoming her advocates, it is natural to suppose her expectations must have been raised and this it is

likely she did; for, while they were speaking, she seems to have held her peace. Neither need they have been at a loss for a precedent; for though she was a heathen, yet they had lately witnessed his kind attention to a Roman centurion: and, had they pleaded this, he might have shown mercy at their request. But to what does their intercession àmount? Alas, it is mean and pitiful: it does not appear to have a spice of benevolence in it, but to have been merely the effect of self-love: Send her away, said they, for she crieth after us. O'disciples! And does the voice of prayer trouble you? How little at present do you resemble your Master! We never read of his being troubled with the cry of the poor and needy. And this is all you have to urge, is it? Your charity amounts to just so much as that of some wealthy persons, who give a poor man a penny, not out of compassion, but in order to get rid of him!

What is the answer to this miserable petition? Our Lord takes no notice of the mercenary nature of the plea; and this was like himself: amidst the numerous faults of his disciples, he often exercised a dignified forbearance towards them. But what answer did he make? I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It was true, that his commission was especially directed to Israel; and, previously to his resurrection, he even forbad his disciples to go in the way of the Gentiles: nor is it any wonder, that he should avail himself of this general truth, still to withhold his favour, rather than grant it at such a request as this. The motive which they had urged was not likely to work upon him. But think how it must affect the poor petitioner. discouraging; but this must have been more so. imputed to other causes: she might suppose he of her request; and, though he had said nothing in her favour, yet he had said nothing against her: this, however, is not only giving her a denial, but giving the reason of it; which would seem to render it irrevocable. To an eye of sense, it would now seem to be a lost case. It is not so, however, to an eye of faith.

Silence was That might be was considering

Let us proceed to the third application. The disciples had been poor advocates. Make way for her, and let her plead her own cause she can do it best. It is not one, nor two repulses, that VOL. VII.

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will silence the prayer of faith; nor will aught else, so long as Jesus lives, and the invitations and promises of his word continue unrevoked. It was written, He shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper: and the efficacy: of this declaration must be tried again. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord help me!

Observe, she prefaces her petition with an act of worship. She had before acknowledged him as David's son, now she approaches him as his Lord. Prostrate at his feet, she adores him, and renews her supplication. It is short, yet very full. It has only three words, but more than three ideas, and these full of importance. She here, in effect, tells him, that her case is urgent; that she is truly helpless; that no help is to be expected from any other quarter; that she is persuaded of his being able to save to the uttermost, and that it belongs to his character, as Messiah, to help those that have no helper. Though a Canaanite, assuredly she possesses the spirit of an Israelite: I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

If there be such a thing as holy violence, or taking the kingdom of heaven, as it were, by force, surely this is it; and, knowing the character of Christ, we should have concluded that this petition must be successful. But Jesus answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. What imperfect judges are we of times and seasons. Just now, we should have supposed her cause was gained, and yet it was not so; and now we should have been ready enough to conclude it was lost, and yet it is not so. Let us learn to wait patiently for the Lord, and neither conclude, when we enjoy great fervour and freedom in our approaches to him, that our prayers must be answered immediately, or not at all; nor, when thrown back into darkness and discouragement, that now there is no hope. Had this poor woman rested her expectation on her own feelings, or on any thing short of the Lord's own word, she had fainted in this trying moment, What a crowd of thoughts might she, at this time, have cherished; hard thoughts, proud thoughts, and despairing thoughts. And is this the Messiah, of whom such glorious things are spoken? Is this the compassion that he is to exercise to the poor, and to them

that have no helper? No mercy, no help for a stranger, even though prostrate at his feet; and, as if it were not enough to refuse his assistance, he must call me a dog! I will ask no more: whatever be my lot, I will bear it!' Such might have been her reflections, and such her conduct; but she was a believer, and faith operates in a different way.

Yet what could our Saviour mean by such language? Did he really intend to countenance that contemptuous spirit with which the carnal Jews treated the Gentiles? Surely not. Did he feel towards this poor stranger, as his words would seem to indicate? No: his roughness, like that of Joseph towards his brethren, was assumed for the purpose of trying her; and she endures the trial with singular perseverance. She neither resents being called a dog, nor despairs on account of it; but is resolved still to follow up her suit. Yet what new plea can she find to offer?

Let us hear the fourth and last application: Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from their master's table. Most admirable! Such an instance of spiritual ingenuity, of holy and humble acumen, was perhaps never known before, nor since Now the conflict is at an end; the victory is gained; the kingdom of heaven is taken by the prayer of faith. Jesus, like Joseph, can refrain himself no longer, but appears in his true character: O woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt! Let us review this charming crisis, and mark the ground from which this last and successful plea proceeded. IT WAS THE GROUND ON WHICH THE LORD HAD PLACED HER. He intimated that she was a dog, unworthy of the children's bread. She readily admitted it, and, as a dog, presented her petition. Here, then, is the grand secret how to succeed in our approaches for mercy. We must stand upon that ground where the scripture places us, and from thence present our petition. Does the Lord tell us, in his word, that we are guilty, unworthy, ungodly, deserving of eternal death? On this ground we must take our stand, and plead for that mercy which is provided for characters of this description. All applications for mercy, on any other ground, will be unsuccessful.

The last answer of Jesus, as well as the last prayer of the woman, is worthy of special notice. There are three things remarkable in it; the commendation of her faith, the granting of her desire, and the affectionate manner in which both were addressed to her.

Jesus answered and said unto her, O ́woman, great is thy faith! This accords with his general practice. The blessings of healing, as well as those of a more spiritual nature, were ordinarily suspended on believing, and, when obtained, were ascribed to it. Hence, such language as this: If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.-Thy faith hath saved thee-Thy faith hath made thee whole. Did our Lord, by this language, mean to give away the honour of salvation from himself? No: it is not used for the purpose of transferring honour to us, but for giving encouragement to faith. Neither is there any opposition of interests between Christ and faith: those who are saved by faith are saved by Christ; for it is of the nature of faith to go out of itself, and draw all from him. Christ's power and grace operate as the cause of our salvation; faith, as the mean of it; yet, being a mean absolutely necessary for the bringing of Christ and the soul together, as well as for the promotion of all other graces, it is constantly held up as the one thing needful..

Perhaps, if we had comemnded the Canaanitish woman, we should have admired her great importunity, and great humility; but our Lord passes over these, taking notice only of her faith: and wherefore? Because faith was the root, or principle, from whence the others sprang, and by which they were kept alive.

Our Lord often commended the faith of believers; but I recollect only two instances in which he speaks of it as being great; and they are both of them Gentiles: one is the Roman centurion'; and the other, the woman of whom we are discoursing. There, doubtless, was an eminency, or peculiar strength, in the faith of each of them; but that which, more than any thing, rendered it great in our Lord's account was, the disadvantages under which it was exercised. To Israel pertained the promises. If Gentiles partook of the root and fatness of the olive-tree, it was by being grafted into it, contrary to nature. Yet, amidst these disadvanta